Chapter 3: Splint

She rode for hours, she wanted as big a head start as she could get she was tired and she knew the horse needed to rest, she stopped and dismounted letting the horse eat some grass from the forest floor. She sat at the trunk of a tree and rested, she felt sleep taking over her but was pulled back to consciousness by a sharp pain in her leg, she opened her eyes and looked down, at her side was a young wolf, it's fur was matted with drying blood, it looked starving and was limping as it tried to stand, Illyria saw it's paw on her leg, realising suddenly where the sharp pain came from, she timidly moved her hand to it's head, it watched her closely but didn't react, she ran her hand against its head, it pushed against her hand closing it eyes affectionately. She jumped seconds later hearing shouts; they couldn't have caught up with her already? She was close to the edge of the forest so she tied the horse's reins to a tree branch and placed her coat over the wolf, which shook it off and limped next to her,

' That wont help your leg?' the wolf looked at her and began limping ahead of her, she followed the wolf till the came to the thinning trees at the edge of the forest, Illyria had to cover her mouth at the sight in front of her, across the field a legion of roman soldiers were hacking at animals bodies, the wolf whimpered next to her, she understood the wolfs injuries now, it had been hunted with the rest of it's pack for meat by those men. She watched as they stripped all the meat they could and left the scene laughing and joking, she rubbed the wolfs head as ravens began to settle down and pick any left over meat from the carcasses. She walked back to her horse, the wolf following, she bent down and picked up a sturdy branch and broke it down till it would fit the wolfs bad leg, she the ripped of a long piece of the dress she had worn to Laudine's wedding and splinted the poor creatures leg, as she made sure it was tight enough the creature licked the side of her face, she stared into it's eyes, it didn't want to hurt her, if it did it would have done it when she was asleep, instead when she walked it followed. She stayed on her feet giving the horse a proper break and the wolf walked next to her limping less with its splinted leg, they left the forest and walked for what felt like hours, but Illyria wasn't willing to stop, there had been roman's in the area she didn't care to meet any more of them. It was mid afternoon when she finally saw a small village on the horizon, she was starving and she felt fairly sure if the wolf didn't eat soon it might change its mind and take off a few of her fingers to tide it over. When they walked into the village, a girl, a horse and a wolf with a splinted leg, she didn't blame people for giving them strange looks, it did look strange, the people were cleaning up outside their houses and some of them had bruises and cuts on their faces, no need to ask where the roman's had spent the night.

She walked over to an elderly woman and smiled kindly,

' Excuse me, I don't mean to be rude and interrupt you but I'm looking for someone and I'm hoping you know where I could find them?' the old woman eyed her suspiciously to begin with, then looked over at her horse and wolf who stood patiently waiting,

' You do that?' Illyria was confused,

' Do what?'

' Splint that poor things leg'

' Oh yes it's just temporary, until someone more qualified can take a look'

' I look after the animals in this village let me see'

' Ok but its not my pet so I don't know how we can get it to you?'

' She'

' Sorry?'

' It is a she, and I have a feeling if you call her she'll come'

' How am I supposed to call a wolf to me' the old woman smiled and shrugged, Illyria had a feeling she knew what to do but she wasn't going to help her, Illyria whistled lightly and the wolfs ears pricked up, she whistled louder and both horse and wolf strutted over to her, the wolf nudged its head against her leg as the old woman bent down to look, she rubbed the animals ankle before standing back up,

' You did a good job with that splint, it's just a sprain it'll heal in a few days, who taught you to do that?'

' My mother but I haven't done it since I was a child, I was sure id done it wrong'

' No, not at all, very good job, now who is it you're looking for?'

' Honoria?' she was surprised when the woman let out a laugh, well it was almost a bark,

' Oh I should know her, she is my daughter' Illyria looked surprised,

' Come child you're all tired and hungry, I'll take you to the house' Illyria walked with the old woman and the old woman began questioning her,

' So you're not roman, where are you from?'

' Born here, my father is sarmatian and my mother was a woad'

' Was?'

' She died ten years ago'

' How if you don't mind me asking?'

' Her carriage was raided by thieves, we never found her body, but there was so much blood we knew she couldn't have survived that kind of attack' the old woman nodded solemnly,

' So what brings you to Honoria and our small village?' Illyria tried to think of what would be best to say but the old woman interrupted her,

' Running away are we?' Illyria nodded,

' Well you've come to the right place and the right people, what is your name child?'

' Illyria'

' Beautiful name, ah here we are' they stopped outside a house, there was a woman outside pulling debris away from the house and piling it up, a window had been smashed, and the wooden door bore scratch marks, but Illyria felt instantly safe in this house' presence or perhaps it was the kind woman who had just spotted her and instantly smiled.